politicians on Capitol Hill.  But, what will this really accomplish?  Will any of this change the way the VAROs operate?  Don't count on it.

Shredding Our Trust

Although it is not clear at this time whether any documents related to a disability claim were shredded at any VARO, it is safe to assume that they weren't sitting in a shredder bin waiting to be processed by a claims representative.  What has been shredded is veterans' trust in the VA.

By deliberately hiding vital documents and delaying claims, the VBA has lived up to its reputation and to the slogan so many disgruntled vets hate to say but know is true:  "Delay, Deny and Hope that I Die."

VA executives are fond of touting their agency as "non-adversarial" when it comes to the disability claim process.  Prior to his confirmation as VA Secretary, Dr. James Peake promised the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs that he would "do the right thing" for veterans.  It appears he missed the mark.

The VA's biggest fear is that the VAOIG investigations will open the doors to, perhaps, tens of thousands of re-filed claims from every veteran, Service Officer and attorney who has had a claim or appeal timed-out because their paperwork was "not received in a timely manner."  While that would add to the huge backlog of claims facing the VBA at this time, it may be the only solution.

The VBA has shredded veterans' trust in the disability claim process.  It's time for them to re-earn that trust.